Looking at buying house need some insight.

[RyanGSams]

So I am now in the market looking at houses. I have discovered two different types. Modular and stick-built. Until today, I didn't really know the difference between the two. Actually I still don't have a grasp of it. I have been told that Stick-built (homes built on site) are better quality and last longer than the pre-fab modular homes assembled in sections and then put together in sections at the site. Does anybody have any experience in either and can tell me whether one is better than the other. Or do they both have pros and cons? Anything that can set me in the right direction for buying a house. I am looking for a house with some land and all I am really finding with decent lots are modular homes. A friend has been trying to sway me away from land and get a "real" house and sacrifice my land wants. I want to know what will last longer and is it possible to increase value on a modular?


Thanks

 

[IndyGunworks]

Dont confuse prefab with modular... there are ones built to HUD standards, and then build to modular standards.... the modular standards are as good and sometimes better than stick build onsite and are built indentical just with more limited options...

I have done EXTENSIVE research on this and would be happy to help you understand.... PM me your phone number and ill call and splain it all to you. I have been researching this for over a year now.

 

[HoughMade]

Dont confuse prefab with modular... there are ones built to HUD standards, and then build to modular standards.... the modular standards are as good and sometimes better than stick build onsite and are built indentical just with more limited options...

I have done EXTENSIVE research on this and would be happy to help you understand.... PM me your phone number and ill call and splain it all to you. I have been researching this for over a year now.

Agreed. I researched this too and was very impressed with the modular homes.

 

[bacon#1]

Looks like IndyGunworks has you handled on the house. Don't let your friend sway you if you want land get the land, plus they're not making that anymore.

 

[wrigleycub]

Stick built home = a bundle of wood is delivered to the lot and the carpenters/framers cut each board to a spec and nail together into a framed house on a foundation. Avg cost 250k and up. Common builders estridge group and Pat O'Connor, and Lockridge.
TRAC home= a bundle of pre-framed components delivered and the components I.e. Walls/floor are nailed together on the foundation or more typically a slab. These house typically start off around 94k and can go as high as 250K. Common builders are beazer/Pulte.
Modular= Most commonly a fancy trailer home with the transport chassis knocked off and placed on a foundation. These are typically placed on land where the emphasis was placed on the property rather than the home itself. Modular homes can get very fancy they all aren't just your common mobile home.
Buying a home is much more difficult than the small requirements you listed for wants and needs. Any home regardless of how it's built will only last as long as you are willing to maintain. Home maintenance is quite expensive and time consuming. Keep researching and do much more about schools (even w/o kids, schools effect resale value), neighbors, crime, proximity, available jobs etc....

 

[HoughMade]

Modulars are stick built. They are just stick built elsewhere. What most people think about are the low-slope-roof ranch houses. Modulars are much, much more than that. Above the most basic modular, you cannot tell it from a site-built home. However, if it is done right, you can save up to 20% over an equivalent site-built home.

 

[RyanGSams]

Dont confuse prefab with modular... there are ones built to HUD standards, and then build to modular standards.... the modular standards are as good and sometimes better than stick build onsite and are built indentical just with more limited options...

I have done EXTENSIVE research on this and would be happy to help you understand.... PM me your phone number and ill call and splain it all to you. I have been researching this for over a year now.

Thank you. You have PM.

I was also told that Modulars are usually built with cheaper materials over stick built houses. I guess you will explain when you call.
Thanks

 

[remauto1187]

You might also run in to a steel frame house which looks just like a stick built home from the inside and outside. Only way to tell the difference is look in the attic to see the trusses are steel and not wood. Nab the steel frame ONLY if it has been insulated properly which includes external insulation underneath the siding. Me personally I would not buy a used modular home for anything more than 75% of what an equivalent new one would cost. Its the land that probably will go up in value not the used modular home.

 

[IndyGunworks]

Thank you. You have PM.

I was also told that Modulars are usually built with cheaper materials over stick built houses. I guess you will explain when you call.
Thanks

Complicated answer, but to sum it up, NO, thats not true.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

I know a couple of people that live in or have lived in modular homes. And these folks are quite financially capable of buying any style home they wanted. As stated above, a modular home doesn't have to look like a mobile home. Conversely, a stick built home isn't necessarily built better. If I were to go on the market for a new home again, I would definitely consider a modular home.

 

[CitiusFortius]

My house was built on site, in 1875. So I guess it's lasted awhile!

As you've discovered, you will compromise something. Decide what you want most and go for it. Good luck.

 

[looney2ns]

It all depends, there are many stick built homes to this day that are total crap. The builder is the most important.

 

[bcskypilot]

Keep in mind that mortgage loan products, guidelines and rates may vary between the different property types so be sure to check with your lender. If you aren't working with one already I would be happy to answer any questions you may have, just send me a pm. Yes, I'm a mortgae guy and my office is gun friendly.

 

[dwain]

We bought our modular home in 2000. Main reason being, we had our old house torn down, and were going in the same place, with our new one. We did not want to be out of a place, and have to live with a relative, for as long as it would have taken to stick build. Price was a factor also. We would not hesitate to do this again. We are very happy with our modular home. Only thing we would have done different, would be put a basement in.

 

[BrinNutz]

My wife's grandfather just passed away due to his factory built home having lethal levels of formeldahyde (sp?) from the ridiculous amounts of glue used in these hunks of junk. This led to him developing lung cancer and quickly deteriorating and passed a month or two later. Look up cases on this, this has happened quite a bit.

I'll never own a pre-fab/modular/factory built home due to the above, and knowing people in the industry and some of the workers that build these (non-skilled labor). To each their own.
If land is what you value most, and you do not have unlimited funds then this may be your only option, as it most likely was the same situation for the folks that owned it before you. With a limited budget, you'll have to sacrifice on one to get the other.

I'm no expert, but I figured I'd put my $.02 in here as well and give you my opinion on the matter.

 

[IndyGunworks]

Modular homes are a far far far cry from being built by non skilled labor.

 

[indyartisan]

If given the choice between a nice piece of land with a not as nice house and a not so nice piece of land with a nicer house I would choose the nice piece of land. You can repair, remodel and add additions to a structure. You can't change the location of the land. and as someone stated above they are not making much new land.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

Something else to consider: A modular home's components aren't ever exposed to the elements... No rain, snow, ice, etc. No outside moisture intrusion...

Of course that all goes out the window if it still takes the builder too long to put the thing together once it's delivered on site.

Can discuss a lot of generalities in this thread - plus debate terms.

Not all stick-built homes are built to the same quality - just like not all modular homes are all the same quality.

A high quality modular put together by a high quality crew doing high quality work is going to be a heck of a lot better home than a "put it up in three weeks" stick-built home in a vinyl village neighborhood.

 

[spec4]

Brother in law built a modular in a small town. Very nice home and well built. That was decades ago. Daughter and son in law built a Wausau home in 1999, took about 6 weeks IIRC. You would never know it wasn't "stick built". Very nice home and no problems other than normal maintenance. If I were building in the country Wausau would be my first pick. Not to get off track, but in the Chicago suburban area back in the 50's and 60's, National Homes out of Lafayette built hundreds of homes. Most were low end and basic, but still standing.

 

[KittySlayer]

Well since you are shopping I will give you some timely advice that I got from a friend. Get a house with a south facing driveway so the sun will melt the ice and snow in the winter. Pretty good advice based on looking out the window the last few weeks and something you don't think about until after the fact.